Man arrested for car break-ins after foot chase in Merrick

Police arrested a Brooklyn man for allegedly breaking into a number of vehicles in Merrick after a witness was tipped off by footprints in the snow.

According to Nassau County police, early on the morning of Dec. 14, officers responded to a report of suspicious activity on Central Avenue. A witness told police that they had observed footprints around parked vehicles, as well as vehicles in driveways with the doors open.

Police, during their investigation, found Gregory Jackson, 18, crouched behind a bush on a dead end road. He took off, and police gave chase, before apprehending him on Edwards Place and arresting him.

Police found credit cards and drivers licenses he had stolen from cars, and later found that he was possibly responsible for other thefts throughout Nassau County on different dates.

Jackson was charged with 13 counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, second-degree burglary, eight counts of petit larceny and third-degree criminal trespass. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Hempstead First District Court on Friday.